Influence of hemodynamic parameters on coronary artery attenuation with 320-detector coronary CT angiography.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between cardiac output, end diastolic volume and the contrast enhancement in coronary CT angiography using 320-detector CT.

Materials And Methods: A total of 38 patients underwent coronary CT angiography by using a 320-detector CT scanner (detector configuration, 320 × 0.5mm).

Relationship between beat to beat coronary artery motion and image quality in prospectively ECG-gated two heart beat 320-detector row coronary CT angiography.

The objective was to investigate the influence of the beat-to-beat movement of the coronary arteries on image quality of multi-segment reconstruction (MSR) images. Although MSR improves temporal resolution, image quality would be degraded by beat-to-beat movement of the coronary arteries. In a retrospectively review, 18 patients (mean age, 67.

Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction for volume-rendered computed tomography portovenography: improvement of image quality.

Purpose: Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) is a reconstruction technique for computed tomography (CT) that reduces image noise. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether ASIR improves the quality of volume-rendered (VR) CT portovenography.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval, with waived consent, was obtained.

Collaborative effects of bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation and prehospital advanced cardiac life support by physicians on survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a nationwide population-based observational study.

Introduction: There are inconsistent data about the effectiveness of prehospital physician-staffed advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) on the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Furthermore, the relative importance of bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) and ACLS and the effectiveness of their combination have not been clearly demonstrated.

Methods: Using a prospective, nationwide, population-based registry of all OHCA patients in Japan, we enrolled 95,072 patients whose arrests were witnessed by bystanders and 23,127 patients witnessed by emergency medical service providers between 2005 and 2007.

Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI: comparison with triple phase 64 detector row helical CT.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI with that of triple phase 64-MDCT in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients And Methods: Thirty-four patients with 52 surgically proven lesions underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and triple phase 64-MDCT. Two observers independently evaluated MR and CT imaging on a lesion-by-lesion basis.

KTO-7924, a Beta3-adrenergic receptor agonist, reduces hyperglycemia, and protects beta-cells in the islets of langerhans of db/db mice.

Introduction: The effect of beta3-adrenergic receptor agonists on beta cells in the islets of Langerhans is not yet clear. This study examined the beta3-adrenergic receptor agonist on beta cells in the islets of Langerhans.

Methods: Obese diabetic C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice were treated with KTO-7924, a newly-developed beta3-adrenergic receptor agonist for 28-day.

Distal radius fracture arthroscopic intraarticular displacement measurement after open reduction and internal fixation from a volar approach.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess articular surface reduction arthroscopically after volar locked-plate fixation of distal radius fractures (DRFs) via fluoroscopyguided open reduction/internal fixation. We also aimed to develop preoperative radiographic criteria to help assist in determining which DRFs may need arthroscopic evaluation.

Methods: A total of 31 consecutive patients with DRF were prospectively enrolled.

Four-dimensional measurement of the displacement of internal fiducial markers during 320-multislice computed tomography scanning of thoracic esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the three-dimensional movement of internal fiducial markers placed near esophageal cancers using 320-multislice CT.

Methods And Materials: This study examined 22 metal markers in the esophageal wall near the primary tumors of 12 patients treated with external-beam photon radiotherapy. Motion assessment was analyzed in 41 respiratory phases during 20 s of cine CT in the radiotherapy position.

Relationship between liver function and liver signal intensity in hepatobiliary phase of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of liver function on liver signal intensity in gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in humans and to examine the biochemical factors related to signal intensity in the hepatobiliary phase.

Methods: This study included 48 patients with suspected hepatocellular carcinoma or metachronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the chronic liver dysfunction and the normal liver function.

Twenty-year changes of penta-chlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF) level and symptoms in Yusho patients, using association analysis.

Background: Recently, methods for measurement of dioxins in the blood have improved. Also, techniques for analyzing large quantities of data have been developed, such as data mining. Even in subjects with elusive characteristics, it is becoming possible to find previously unknown characteristics by checking all combinations of symptoms.

A new method for blood velocity measurements using ultrasound FMCW signals.

The low peak power of frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar makes it attractive for various applications, including vehicle collision warning systems and airborne radio altimeters. This paper describes a new ultrasound Doppler measurement system that measures blood flow velocity based on principles similar to those of FMCW radar. We propose a sinusoidal wave for FM modulation and introduce a new demodulation technique for obtaining Doppler information with high SNR and range resolution.

Cell sheet injection as a technique of osteogenic supply.

We previously reported a new cell transplantation method utilizing injections of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheets that have osteogenic potential. After subcutaneous transplantation without any scaffold, the sheet demonstrated in vivo bone formation. In the present study, we transplanted such sheets by injection into implanted ceramics and assessed whether the injectable MSC sheets could stimulate osteogenic integration of the ceramics.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma located in the myometrium with a low-intensity rim on T2-weighted images: report of three cases and literature review.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) most commonly grows from the uterine endometrium into the endometrial cavity; it is rarely located in the myometrium alone, where it may resemble degenerated leiomyoma on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We present three cases of intramyometrial ESS mimicking degenerated leiomyoma, all of which have a characteristic low-intensity rim on T2-weighted images. Histopathological examination revealed the rim to consist of fibrous tissue layers and/or a decrease in free water caused by distortion of myometrial tissue following tumor expansion.

Laboratory and imaging features of kidney involvement in autoimmune pancreatitis: incidence, correlation, and steroid therapy response.

Aim: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a rare subtype of chronic pancreatitis. AIP has been suggested to be complicated by tubulointerstitial nephritis or glomerulonephritis, implying that the kidney is involved as a phenotype of IgG4-positive multi-organ lymphoproliferative syndrome; however, the clinical significance of this novel entity is not well-defined.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 47 (male, 39; female, 8) AIP patients.

Prepancreatic postduodenal portal vein: a new hypothesis for the development of the portal venous system.

The prepancreatic postduodenal portal vein (PPPV) is an unusual anomaly, having been reported in only 11 cases including ours. Although its incidence is rare, this anomaly can cause intraoperative complications such as hemorrhage from the abnormal vein. Radiologists therefore need to be aware of this anomaly and, when identifi ed, report it to surgeons before surgery.

Type 1 neurofibromatosis with a giant intrathoracic lesion: a case report with 25 years of follow-up.

We report a case of neurofibromatosis 1 with a huge intrathoracic lesion followed-up for 25 years. When the patient was 5 years of age, we performed a partial resection as an excisional biopsy. Microscopically, small spindle cells and collagen were spread between fat cells.

Scaffold-free cell sheet injection results in bone formation.

We previously reported a new cell transplantation method in which mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured as cell sheets. The cultured MSC sheets showed high alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities and osteocalcin (OC) contents. In the present study, we transplanted such sheets by injection to assess whether the injectable MSC sheets could form bone tissue at subcutaneous sites.

Postoperative surveillance with monthly serum tumor markers after living-donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation decreases patient survival. The usefulness of post-transplant surveillance with tumor markers, however, is not clear. We evaluated our cumulative experience with recurrent HCC detected during post-transplant surveillance.

Construction of syndromic surveillance using a web-based daily questionnaire for health and its application at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit meeting.

We constructed a syndromic surveillance system to collect directly information on daily health conditions directly from local residents via the internet [web-based daily questionnaire for health surveillance system (WDQH SS)]. This paper considers the feasibility of the WDQH SS and its ability to detect epidemics. A verification study revealed that our system was an effective surveillance system.

Development of a high-specificity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for the quantification and validation of intact rat osteocalcin.

Osteocalcin (OC) exhibits hard tissue-specific expression and binding activity to hydroxyapatite. Therefore, measurement of secreted OC is a very useful index for evaluating osteoblastic differentiation in regenerative bone. In the present study, we established a high-specificity sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for the quantification of intact rat OC, which could be useful for validating tissue-engineered bone samples nondestructively and continuously.

Efficacy of double-arterial phase gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging compared with double-arterial phase multi-detector row helical computed tomography.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of double-arterial phase gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using 3-dimensional gradient-echo sequences compared with double-arterial phase multi-detector row helical computed tomography (CT).

Methods: This study included 15 patients with 24 surgically proven hepatocellular carcinomas. Dynamic MRI and CT were evaluated by 2 observers using a 4-point scale.

Hepatic Segments and Vasculature: Projecting CT Anatomy onto Angiograms.

Hepatic transarterial interventional therapies such as chemoembolization and radiation embolization are important treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the anatomy of individual arterial branches and hepatic segments is critical for selecting the correct embolization technique for treatment and to avoid complications. The authors describe the morphologic characteristics of hepatic arterial branches (and their mimickers) and hepatic segments on conventional angiograms.

Variation in half-life of penta-chlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF) blood level among Yusho patients.

Yusho (oil disease) is the name given to a food poisoning incident caused by rice bran oil that occurred in west Japan in 1968. The causative agents of Yusho are currently considered to be polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their by-products, such as dioxin like compounds. The levels of 2,3,4,7,8-penta-cholorodibenzofuran (PeCDF) are measured in the blood of Yusho patients who attend medical check-ups.

Hepatic segments and vasculature: projecting CT anatomy onto angiograms.

Hepatic transarterial interventional therapies such as chemoembolization and radiation embolization are important treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the anatomy of individual arterial branches and hepatic segments is critical for selecting the correct embolization technique for treatment and to avoid complications. The authors describe the morphologic characteristics of hepatic arterial branches (and their mimickers) and hepatic segments on conventional angiograms.